Businesses have more opportunities than ever in the digital age to reach customers directly; this also means that customers can find you more quickly and contact you directly if they have a problem with your product or service.

Additionally, users can read about your brand and company before buying your product, thanks to social media and review sites like Yelp. The result is that businesses are now under more pressure than ever to provide excellent customer service.   

Fortunately, there are many ways you can streamline your processes to make sure your customer service isn't holding back your business. One great way to do this is by hiring virtual assistants for customer service.

Read on to learn how a virtual assistant can streamline your customer support and save you time and money! 

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant (VA) is a person who provides administrative and other support services remotely to clients. Virtual assistants often provide support to business owners as well as individuals.  

Some people call themselves virtual assistants even if they don't provide administrative services, so it is crucial to clarify what services you need before hiring a virtual assistant.

Companies usually hire virtual assistants for administrative tasks, such as bookkeeping, marketing, and social media management. You can hire VAs for almost any job you would employ an in-person assistant, including scheduling appointments, research, and writing.   

Why Hiring a Virtual Assistant is Good for Customer Service 

As discussed above, the internet has made it easier for customers to find and leave feedback about your business. What might have been a one-off conversation between a customer and a manager might go viral and become a stain on your brand for months or even years.  

If you're unprepared for customers to reach out to you, you could end up with bad reviews and an unhappy customer base. A great way to boost your customer service and keep your customers happy is to hire a virtual assistant for customer service.  

This way, you can ensure that your customers receive quick and helpful responses to their questions. Hiring virtual assistants to take care of your customer service can free up time for your staff to focus on more critical tasks.

Benefits of having a Virtual Assistant for Customer Service

There are many reasons why hiring a VA is beneficial for customer service and reducing stress levels. Some of the significant benefits are listed below:  

• Time Savings - No doubt deploying the right virtual assistant can save you time. Depending on the type of service you hire, you could save dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of hours each year.  
• Reduced Back-and-forth - When communicating with your customers, you don't have time to explain your every action or thought. Unclear communication can result in misunderstandings and unmet expectations from customers. A VA, on the other hand, communicates clearly and concisely, which reduces back-and-forth communication problems.
• Flexibility - One of the most crucial things for people running their businesses is flexibility. When your time is up, you must still be looking great. With an excellent VA, you can work with the person to implement a schedule that works best for you both.

  Hiring Process For Virtual Assistants

At Cápita Works, we have a proven process to help you find the best virtual assistant for your business. Our 4-step recruitment process includes a discovery meeting and engagement with your team to understand your needs better. Next, our talent acquisition specialists do a candidate search to find your next superstar. Last but not least, we take care of management and improvement - all of our virtual assistants go through onboarding and receive monthly learning activities, including training and webinars, that will keep them at the top of their game. 

When hiring through Cápita Works, you'll be able to hire a virtual assistant in your same time zone and save up to 70% on salaries compared to the US. Read more about our services.

3 Tips for Working with a VA

When you start working with a VA, there are a few tips you can keep in mind to ensure your relationship is as smooth as possible. Some ways you can do this include:  

• Set clear expectations - You should expect your VA to be as efficient as possible, but it's also important to let them know your expectations. You can also create checklists to make sure everything is correctly done.
• Keep your lines of communication open - Checking in with your VA regularly is essential. You want to ensure their workload is manageable, and you want to make sure they understand what you want from them.
• Reward and acknowledge your VA - Your VA is doing work that, in many cases, they could be doing full-time. Please make sure you recognize their hard work once in a while.   

Bottom line

The main takeaway is simple: if you want to improve your customer service, you must find ways to save time and delegate tasks you don't have the time for. Virtual assistants are an excellent way to do this, as they can handle various everyday tasks and significantly reduce your workload.  

If you want to improve your customer experience, hiring a VA is a great way to do so. Hiring a virtual assistant for customer service can help you provide a higher level of service to your customers and save you a lot of headaches in the long run. Virtual assistants can take on tedious administrative tasks that would typically drain your staff members' time. When you are ready to hire a virtual assistant, make sure you have a clear idea of the tasks you need them to do.